Electric treadmill with safety stop function

Abstract

A motorized treadmill includes a base, an endless belt, a motor, a sensor, and a controller. The endless belt is movable relative to the base for allowing a user to exercise thereon. The motor is coupled to the endless belt for driving the endless belt to rotate. The sensor is configured to detect if an object approaches the motorized treadmill. The controller is in communication with the motor and the sensor. The controller is configured to determine whether the object detected by the sensor is a child. When the sensor detects that a child approaches the motorized treadmill, the controller is operable to stop rotation of the motor to slow down or stop rotation of the endless belt.

1 . A motorized treadmill, comprising:
 a base;   an endless belt movable relative to the base for allowing a user to exercise thereon;   a motor coupled to the endless belt for driving the endless belt to rotate;   a sensor configured to detect if an object approaches the motorized treadmill; and   a controller in communication with the motor and the sensor, the controller configured to determine whether the object detected by the sensor is a child;   wherein when the sensor detects that a child approaches the motorized treadmill, the controller is operable to stop rotation of the motor to slow down or stop rotation of the endless belt.   
     
     
         2 . The motorized treadmill as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect a height of the object to allow the controller to identify whether the object approaching the motorized treadmill is a child. 
     
     
         3 . The motorized treadmill as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein when the controller determines that a child approaches the endless belt, the controller is operable to shut off power to the motor to stop operation of the motor to slow down or stop rotation of the endless belt, preventing the child from getting stuck under the endless belt. 
     
     
         4 . The motorized treadmill as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is operable to detect a height of the object, if the sensor detects that the height of the object is less than a predetermined height, the controller determines that the object approaching the motorized treadmill is a child and is programmed to slow down or stop rotation of the endless belt. 
     
     
         5 . The motorized treadmill as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein when the sensor detects that the height of the object is less than 120 cm, the controller determines that the object approaching the motorized treadmill is a child and shuts off power to the motor to stop operation of the motor to slow or stop rotation of the endless belt. 
     
     
         6 . The motorized treadmill as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein when the sensor detects that the height of the object is between 60 cm and 120 cm, the controller determines that the object approaching the motorized treadmill is a child and shuts off power to the motor to stop operation of the motor to slow or stop rotation of the endless belt. 
     
     
         7 . The motorized treadmill as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the base has a front roller and a rear roller, the endless belt mounted around the front roller and the rear roller, the sensor being located on a rear side of the base near the rear roller to detect the object close to the rear side of the base. 
     
     
         8 . The motorized treadmill as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an optical sensor, a camera, an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a thermal sensor, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . An exercise apparatus, comprising:
 a base;   an operating unit movable relative to the base;   a motor coupled to the operating unit for driving the operating unit to rotate;   a sensor configured to detect if an object approaches the exercise apparatus; and   a controller in communication with the motor and the sensor, the controller configured to determine whether the object detected by the sensor is a child;   wherein when the sensor detects that a child approaches the exercise apparatus, the controller is operable to stop rotation of the motor to slow down or stop rotation of the endless belt.   
     
     
         10 . The exercise apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect a height of the object to allow the controller to identify whether the object approaching the motorized treadmill is a child. 
     
     
         11 . The exercise apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein when the controller determines that a child approaches the exercise apparatus, the controller is operable to shut off power to the motor to stop operation of the motor to slow down or stop rotation of the operating unit, preventing the child from getting stuck by the operating unit. 
     
     
         12 . The exercise apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the sensor is operable to detect a height of the object, if the sensor detects that the height of the object is less than a predetermined height, the controller determines that the object approaching the exercise apparatus is a child and is programmed to slow down or stop rotation of the operating unit. 
     
     
         13 . The exercise apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein when the sensor detects that the height of the object is less than 120 cm, the controller determines that the object approaching the motorized treadmill is a child and shuts off power to the motor to stop operation of the motor to slow or stop rotation of the operating unit. 
     
     
         14 . The exercise apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein when the sensor detects that the height of the object is between 60 cm and 120 cm, the controller determines that the object approaching the motorized treadmill is a child and shuts off power to the motor to stop operation of the motor to slow or stop rotation of the endless belt. 
     
     
         15 . The exercise apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the sensor is mounted on a rear end of the base for detecting if an object approaches the rear end of the base, preventing the object from getting stuck by the operating unit. 
     
     
         16 . A motorized treadmill, comprising:
 a base;   an endless belt movable relative to the base for allowing a user to exercise thereon;   a motor coupled to the endless belt for driving the endless belt to rotate;   a sensor configured to detect if an object approaches the motorized treadmill and to detect a height of the object; and   a controller in communication with the motor and the sensor, configured to control operation of the motor to control rotation of the endless belt;   wherein when the sensor detects that the height of the object is less than a predetermined height, the controller is programmed to slow down or stop rotation of the endless belt.   
     
     
         17 . The motorized treadmill as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the object detected by the sensor is a child according to the height of the subject; and wherein when the controller determines that the object approaching the motorized treadmill is a child, the controller is operable to shut off power to the motor to stop operation of the motor to slow down or stop rotation of the endless belt. 
     
     
         18 . The motorized treadmill as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein when the sensor detects that the height of the object is less than 120 cm, the controller determines that the object approaching the motorized treadmill is a child and shuts off power to the motor to stop operation of the motor to slow or stop rotation of the endless belt. 
     
     
         19 . The motorized treadmill as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein when the sensor detects that the height of the object is between 60 cm and 120 cm, the controller determines that the object approaching the motorized treadmill is a child and shuts off power to the motor to stop operation of the motor to slow or stop rotation of the endless belt. 
     
     
         20 . The motorized treadmill as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the base has a front roller and a rear roller, the endless belt mounted around the front roller and the rear roller, the sensor being located on a rear side of the base near the rear roller to detect if the object close to the rear side of the base.